Amarjit Singh questions Sukh Dhaliwal on Kanishka victims, urges Canada to answer

December 6, 2025

Retired Indian Foreign Service officer Amarjit Singh has issued a pointed response to Canadian MP Sukh Dhaliwal, questioning his selective memory regarding historical events and urging Canada to address the unresolved cases of the 329 victims of the Air India Kanishka bombing before commenting on India.

Amarjit Singh’s remarks come following Dhaliwal’s post on social media, where the MP commemorated the 30th anniversary of Jaswant Singh Khalra’s visit to Ottawa. Khalra had highlighted human rights violations in Punjab during the 1980s, and was later abducted and killed in India. In his post, Dhaliwal paid tribute to Khalra’s courage and reaffirmed the importance of justice and human rights.

Singh, however, criticized Dhaliwal for emphasizing an Indian incident while overlooking a major tragedy that occurred in Canada. “Today also marks 27 years since Tara Singh Hayer was shot dead in Canada — a murder linked directly to extremist elements and a reminder of the families affected by the 1985 Air India Kanishka bombing,” Singh said. He highlighted that the victims of the Kanishka attack remain largely unacknowledged, with many perpetrators never prosecuted. Singh also called attention to Canada’s failure to deliver justice for the victims of the bombing. He questioned how many perpetrators had been punished and why unresolved cases remain decades later. According to Singh, Canadian officials should prioritize addressing domestic justice issues, including unresolved killings, extortion, and immigration-related concerns, rather than lecturing India on its domestic affairs. Singh further criticized Dhaliwal and other Canadian politicians for potentially allowing political considerations to influence narratives surrounding sensitive historical events. He emphasized the need for politicians to focus on truth and human rights rather than engaging in selective activism or political grandstanding. Singh’s comments have been widely shared, generating significant discussion among members of the Indian diaspora in Canada. Many observers see his statements as a reminder for Canadian authorities to confront unresolved tragedies in their own country before critiquing India’s policies or history.The exchange underscores ongoing sensitivities surrounding historical memory, diaspora politics, and the responsibilities of public officials to address unresolved injustices, both in India and abroad.